1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a one-sided mattress construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional mattresses may employ spring coils to support the sleeping surface. There are two basic types of coils—open coils, which are usually joined together into a spring assembly using hog rings or other fasteners, and pocket coils, which usually present a fabric exterior than can be glued to adjacent coils to form a spring assembly.
In order to facilitate the manufacture of springs and the assembly of springs into a mattress, spring coils are generally made with an approximately cylindrical shape, sometimes with a slight taper at each end to give the spring a barrel-shaped appearance. This permits secure attachment of each spring along its side into a unitary spring assembly construction. This approach works well for two-sided mattresses.
More recently, mattress makers have started manufacturing one-sided mattresses, or more specifically, single-orientation mattresses, that are designed to be placed on a foundation and used in one position over the life of the mattress. The mattress user benefits from a construction that will perform consistently over many years without requiring rotation or flipping, and the manufacturer is able to more precisely design the sleeping surface for its intended orientation.
There are significant disadvantages to the use of convention spring coils with one-sided mattress constructions. Because the tops of each spring are adjacent to, and frequently attached to, one another, vertical motion of one coil may translate into vertical motion of adjacent coils and propagate across the entire sleeping surface. As another disadvantage, springs must be attached at a substantial number of points along abutting edges to prevent shifting of the springs under use.
There remains a need for an improved spring coil assembly for use with contemporary one-sided mattresses.